Colorado versus Colorado State. The rivalry continues. So does Larry Zimmer.
Saturday’s kickoff (1:30 p.m., TBS; KOA 850-AM) at Folsom Field marks the 32nd season Zimmer has been at the mike for CU football. The first 29 he was play-by-play man; the past three he’s been the color analyst.
No matter. He’s rarin’ to go. “I’m still excited when I walk into that stadium,” said Zimmer, whose sportscasting career is in its 40th year. “The day I’m not is the day I quit. When that’s gone, I don’t have a reason to be there.”
Zimmer has had a string of partners on the CU radio broadcasts – Bob Reuben, Jon Keyworth, Kent Groshon, Jim Ryan, Jim Conrad and Jay Leuwenberg.
He’s now the sidekick to play-by-play man Mark Johnson and, he said, he’s fine with that. “Everything has worked out pretty well. Mark’s a real pro. We’ve become real friends.”
After 32 seasons with the Buffs, he’s got a backlog of opinions:
On Coach Gary Barnett: “I don’t think the media treated him fairly. I think he might have been guilty of oversight. One thing he did was, he was honest. He didn’t make excuses like some of the others above him did.”
On the CU-CSU game being played at Invesco Field at Mile High: “I still think it’s a great thing to play at Invesco.”
On the Big 12: “The power is still in the South. I picked Oklahoma. I picked Colorado in the North.”
On the CU recruiting controversy: “I don’t think it’s an issue anymore. All the kids who were involved, they’re gone.”
On today’s college players: “Thinking back to when I was (broadcasting) at Michigan, they were college students just like they are today. Probably a little more sophisticated. They pick up the mannerisms of their brethren in the NFL.”
He does have one regret: A huge opera fan – he’s working on a book about impresario Nat Merrill – he’ll miss opening night of the new Ellie Caulkins Opera House on Sept. 10. “I’ve got a game against New Mexico State that night.”
Around the dial
Members of the 1942 Wisconsin football team, immortalized in Post sports writer Terry Frei’s book “Third Down and a War to Go,” to be honored at the Badgers’ opener Saturday in Madison (10 a.m., ESPN) … Football, football and more football: ESPN and its various spin-offs carry 31 college games over the Labor Day weekend … High school football your thing? Tune in Loveland-Thunder Ridge (10:30 p.m. Friday, KWHD-Channel 53) … Top-notch interviewer Chris Myers returns with a one-on-one with Randy Moss in which the Oakland wide receiver discusses his use of marijuana (1 a.m. Sunday, FSN) … Quotable: “Frankly, it’s a lot of fun.” Larry Zimmer
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
